FSF: application form downloads
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Loan Information

Since its establishment in 1988 the Field Spectroscopy Facility has supported over 500 loans in research projects worldwide. We loan world-class calibrated Field Spectroscopy equipment to research scientists in academia and industry.

For those thinking of applying for a NERC grant needing FSF support, please contact us before you submit your grant application through Je-S. We will provide you with a technical assessment to support your application, and please make sure you remember to select Field Spectroscopy Facility in the Research Council Faclilites drop down menu on Je-S.

If you wish to use our Headwall Hypersectral Imager through a NERC grant, please fill in pre-operations form at least one month prior to your grant submission deadline to enable us to conduct a feasibility assessment on your project and provide you with a technical assessment to support your application.

Our equipment/laboratory is also available to support non-NERC science through a direct access loans procedure. Loans can be sought on a short term basis (up to one month), for field trails or similar, or for long-term projects of up to two years in length. In each case, applications need to be made to the facility. Academic applications are reviewed twice a year, by a steering committee, where they are graded following a grading system used by all NERC Services and Facilities. Further detail on this can be found on the Conditions of Loan page.

The Field Spectroscopy Facility offers loans to UK Academic Institutions that are free at the point of use. If you are a non UK Academic Institution, or would like to hire our equipment for commercial use, please contact the FSF so we can discuss your requirements.

Stage 1: Browse our equipment catalogue

Please see have a look to see what we have to offer. We have a large range of equipment, with a wide range of applications. If you are unsure where to start, don't hesitate to get in touch with us and ask for some advice!

Frequently Asked Questions

Stage 2: Contact us

Once you have an idea of what equipment you require, and what you would like to use it for, the next step is to get in contact with us. From here, we can start to work with you to develop a working plan for your research / project.

Stage 3: Submit an application

For NERC-funded projects (excluding NERC Studentships), please apply for FSF support in Je_S when you submit your grant application. For direct access loans, potential users of equipment are requested to complete an application form. This form requests information about the proposed project, and asks for details of any fieldwork, and for an outline of the science case and methodology surrounding the proposal. Please note that loan dates must allow time for transporting of equipment from and to Edinburgh.

FSF has two strict deadlines for submission of applications:

1st November: Summer Period Applications - Loans from March to September

1st June: Winter Period Applications - Loans from October to February

IMPORTANT: A separate procedure exists for urgent1 applications - please contact the FSF Operations Manager for details.

Stage 4: Review

Once you submitted an application, it will be reviewed at one of the above dates by our steering committee. Here, it will be assigned a grade based on the grading system used by all NERC Services and Facilities. If you are successful in your application, we will be in touch by email to offer you an equipment loan! This is subject to a number of conditions outlined on our application page.


1 Examples of 'urgent' might include short term monitoring requests for fires, disasters, chemical leaks etc.




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